Andrea Bellamy |

The latest Edible Vancouver is out, and with it, my article: “It’s a Snap: Bean Basics.” Beans really are incredibly easy to grow, and you probably don’t need me to tell you how. But if you’re looking for reassurance, check it out for the lowdown on how-when-where of bean growing, as well as tips on what to do in your garden now. Happy almost-summer!

Andrea Bellamy |

I’m happy to be taking part in a virtual book tour for Handmade Garden Projects, a new book from Timber Press and author Lorene Edwards Forkner.

I had the opportunity to meet Lorene and tour her wonderful Seattle garden last summer, and I was thrilled to see many snippets of Lorene’s very personal and whimsical garden appear in the pages of Handmade Garden Projects.

Lorene’s garden isn’t perfect—and I’d argue that any garden that can be described as such is therefore disqualified, anyway—but it has HEART. It’s full of charm and wit. Truly! It’s a witty garden, full of Lorene’s bubbly personality. I’m happy to report that her latest book is just the same: charming, effervescent, and yet, practical.

I’ll admit I opened the book with a bit of fear. Garden project books are often so same-old, same-old. Same projects, same approach. I needn’t have worried.

What I love about these projects is that they’re so varied. There are projects, like a nail-head totem, that can be whipped up in minutes, and those, like a gabion-style coffee table, that you’ll complete over a weekend. Some, like the scrap metal window ledge, convey industrial charm, others, like the sleek succulent gutter, are well, sleek and modern.

I also love that the instructions are so simple, and so easy to follow. But what makes this an extra-special project book is Lorene’s wonderful perspective on her subject. She lives this stuff, and has the garden to prove it. It’s an inspiration to someone like me, who often overlooks the impact that simple, personal touches can have on a landscape. Handmade Garden Projects is the perfect reminder.

Lorene’s garden is full of quirky touches, like this scrap metal shelf. Photo by Allan Mandell.

Want a copy? Timber Press is generously offering one lucky reader a copy of Handmade Garden Projects. Just leave a comment – by midnight PST on May 21 – telling me if you have any projects planned for your garden this year. I’ll select a random winner.

Andrea Bellamy |

The latest Edible Vancouver is out, and with it, my article: “Salad Days.” Check it out for tips on what to plant now through late summer for a continuous supply of fresh lettuce and salad greens. Happy Spring!

Andrea Bellamy |

Every month, Heavy Petal collaborates with Willowtree — a website for those with food sensitivities who want to find their culinary bliss — to bring you a celebration of an in-season edible. I’ll tell you how to grow it; they’ll tell you how to eat it. Yay!

Although spring feels like it’s just around the corner, it’s still wet and chilly enough for me to be craving comfort foods like soup and starches. This classic soup serves up both in no time flat.

In a large pot combine red onion, garlic, and olive oil over medium heat. Continuously stir until onion is translucent, about 5-6 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Chop your potatoes in quarters. Chop the whites of your leeks, including about a inch of the green portion. Add the potatoes, leeks and stock of choice to your pot and gently give everything a stir. Let simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until potatoes are soft (stick a fork in one to test).

Blend with hand mixer until desired consistency is reached; the potatoes will keep this a thicker soup, but ideally you want to blend until everything is entirely pureed.

Add salt & pepper to taste, and a small splash of white truffle oil as a garnish in each individual bowl for a special occasion (or because you’re a truffle oil addict, like Jackie).

Serve hot, or keep in the fridge to easily warm up for the following days lunches.

How to grow leeks:

Frost-hardy leeks are the rock stars of the winter garden. Start them indoors in early spring (or purchase seedlings) and transplant them out after the last frost. Leeks want full sun and fertile soil. Plant seedlings in furrows, burying them to just below the first leaf. The furrow will fill in over the season, blanching the bottom of the leek stalk and giving it its familiar white colour and mild flavour. Harvest when stems are 1cm thick or larger. If the ground’s not frozen, you can harvest them all winter long!

Andrea Bellamy |

Every month, Heavy Petal collaborates with Willowtree — a website for those with food sensitivities who want to find their culinary bliss — to bring you a celebration of an in-season edible. I’ll tell you how to grow it; they’ll tell you how to eat it. Yay!

If you haven’t already succumbed to kale’s seductions, now is the time to try it. This hardy, healthy leafy green can be found in gardens and markets throughout the fall and winter, and the Willowtree gals recommend trying it in a smoothie.

If the idea of a kale smoothie makes your gag reflex spasm, I do understand. Until very recently, I’d be right there with you, running for the bag of refined sugar. But then I tried this recipe, and not only is it tolerable, it’s good. I especially appreciate the license I feel it’s given me to eat like crap for the rest of the day.

Method: Add all ingredients to food processor or blender; set on high and blend until smooth.

How to grow kale

Kale should be a staple of every healthy-food-lover’s garden. It’s attractive, easy to grow, and frost tolerant (so makes a great winter-garden crop!). Plant in early spring and again in midsummer, harvesting outer leaves as the plants reach 4 in. (10cm) tall. Kale likes full sun and rich, fertile soil (though it will tolerate a little shade). Help it along with a nitrogen-rich organic fertilizer such as fish fertilizer. Kale will overwinter in all but the coldest climates; harvest all winter, then eat the flowers that emerge in spring. My favourite kales are ‘Lacinato’ (aka Black Tuscan, or Dinosaur kale) and ‘Red Russian.’

Sugar Snaps and Strawberries was written with the novice gardener in mind. It’s perfect for those who are interested in trying their hand at growing their own herbs, fruits, or vegetables (and, frankly, these days, who isn’t?) or anyone who’d like some winter eye candy. But it’s not just for gardeners. It’s for food lovers, entertainers, the health- and eco-conscious…guys, gals, young and old. Pair it with…

For new or aspiring gardeners

A high-quality hand tool like the Cobrahead weeder and cultivator: a great, multi-purpose hand tool that I use for nearly all my garden tasks (digging, planting, weeding) and is built to last.

A colourful pair of gardening gloves. Some people go for leather, but I prefer flexible nitrile for the West Coast’s wet soil. Atlas is my preferred brand—cheap and cheerful!

Andrea Bellamy |

Every month, Heavy Petal collaborates with Willowtree — a website for those with food sensitivities who want to find their culinary bliss — to bring you a celebration of an in-season edible. I’ll tell you how to grow it; they’ll tell you how to eat it. Yay!

Every fall I look forward to seeing the first of the local apples appear at the market. Though they’re available year-round, there’s nothing quite like the first crisp, sweet-tart bite of a newly picked BC apple. This month’s recipe celebrates the notorious fruit.

Method:
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter/coconut oil. Once melted add yams, carrots, apples and onion. Cook together for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent. Add ginger, salt & pepper, and spices. Stir mixture. Add dry, uncooked lentils and vegetable stock. Turn heat to high and let mixture come to a boil. Once boiled, turn heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

Remove pot from heat. Using a hand blender, puree the mixture until smooth (you can use a blender or food processor if you don’t have a hand blender), and if too thick, adding water to reach desired consistency. Once smooth, let the soup simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Serve hot and enjoy!How to grow apples

Start by choosing a variety that’s suitable for your area and needs (ask your local nursery for help). Some popular apple cultivars require a long stretch of cold weather to set fruit. Unless you have room for two trees (and since dwarf apple trees can be quite small, that’s certainly possible for many of us) choose a self-pollinating variety, or one that has multiple varieties grafted onto one root.

Apples prefer full sun and moist but free-draining soil. With the wide use of dwarfing rootstocks, many apples are small enough to be grown in containers, making them great options for small-space growing. In spring, mulch with compost and thin baby fruits as they develop. (Thinning reduces the risk of limbs breaking from the weight of the fruit. It also produces larger apples.) Harvest ripe apples in late summer or fall.

The free (yes, free!) publication is focused on “Design Outside and Outdoor Style,” and despite the already-overwhelming number of garden- and design-related blogs and magazines I subscribe to, I’m pretty stoked about Leaf. It’s not just that Susan and Rochelle have amazing design sense and style (which they do), but also that they’ve set their sights high. Really high. Leaf‘s mission statement includes this fabulous line: “Leaf Magazine operates at the intersection of great design and the great outdoors.” (Trademark that one, ladies. Love it!)

They’re aiming for “a fresh approach to outdoor style that is both aspirational and accessible,” thank goodness. I hope to see some ideas and products that are truly affordable for those of us with more dreams than dough.

Andrea Bellamy |

If you’ve ever wanted to save seeds from your garden for next year, now’s the time. Many vegetable, flower, and herb seeds are easy to save, and they make great gifts when packaged up in a pretty little seed packet. Here’s how:

Step one: Collect seed heads or pods from the plants you wish to save. Choose the healthiest and heartiest of your plants; no point in perpetuating a dud! Poppies, calendula, nigella, beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, dill, and cilantro all have easy-to-save seeds.

Step two: Download a free, pretty seed packet template, like the one on my freebies page, print it out (plain ol’ 8.5″ x 11″ printer paper is fine), and cut along the solid lines.

Step three: Fold along the dotted lines and get out your glue stick. Glue all but the top flap.

Step four: Write the seed info on the packet. Sort your seeds on a piece of paper, removing any debris. Use the paper to create a funnel and tip the seeds into the packet.

Step five: Seal the packet and store in a cool, dry place. Or give as a gift. Ta da!